Submersible twin hulled tug



7, 1968 T. NEILSON 3,398,716

SUBMERSIBLE TWIN HULLED TUG Filed Oct. 30, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 79 L 7470? P100000 000 I 76 $77 FEG.

F G. INVENTOIE.

TORELV NEILSON BY 0%, 77?. W

ATTORNEY Aug. 27, 1968 'r. NEILSON SUBMERSIBLE TWIN HULLED TUG 5Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed 001,. 30, 1967 FIG.4

INVENTOR. TORELV NEILSON BY fiOM A ATTORN EY Aug. 27, 1968 T. NEILSON3,398,716

SUBMERSIBLE TWIN HULLED TUG Filed Oct. 30, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 35 SE?@165 Q35 0 Q #2927 28 2 3 @44 o l7 Z Z 5%W INVENTOR.

[it 7 I I 5Q TORELV NEILSON m7 XV X V BY 0% YWTW ATTORNEY United StatesPatent "ice 3,398,716 SUBMERSIBLE TWIN HULLED TUG Torelv Neilson, 8389th St., Brooklyn, NY. 11209 Filed Oct. 30, 1967, Ser. No. 678,839Claims. (Cl. 114-235) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Twin submersible hullseach having a coming tower supporting a platform extending therebetweenare rigidly connected to the stern of a float or barge for itspropulsion. The connection of the tug to the barge is by means of anarticulated hook extending from each of a pair of projections on thehulls of the tug into corresponding recesses in the stern of the barge.The connection may also be by means of electromagnets.

Background 0 the invention This invention relates to tugs and barges orfloats propelled thereby.

The inventor, a professional and licensed captain, who is master of atug, has observed that, when his tug was lashed to a tow in heavy seas,if water ballast was taken on the tug to render its decks substantiallyawash, the effect of wave action was greatly reduced as the tug couldthen more easily follow the motions of the tow. This invention appliesthis observation to the design of a tug which is to be submergible.

Further, licensed or registered vessels of over 300 tons require a givenfull and large complement of licensed oflicers and crew. However, a tugof less than 300 tons displacement only requiring a greatly reducedcomplement of oflicers and crew, may operate very economically with atow of great displacement. Thus the more power available in a tug under300 tons, the larger a tow it can handle and the more it will be indemand by shipping companies.

Summary of the invention This invention provides a tug with twinsubmersible hulls each having a conning tower supporting a singleplatform extending therebetween. The platform and any required bracingposition the two hulls. Both hulls are mainly engine compartments withonly such displacement as to barely float the hulls at the waterssurface. The twin hulls may be submerged when attached to a loaded bargeso that the tug of this invention easily follows any wave motionimparted to the barge. The tug of this invention also provides greatermaneuverability and maximum possible engine weight and thereby power fora tug of under 300 tons displacement.

The connection between the tug and a barge is made by means of taperedprojections extending from the front of each .hull into correspondingtapered recesses formed in the stern of a barge. To lock the tug hullprojections into the recesses of the barge, articulated hooks may graspa transverse member welded across the stern of the interior of thebarge. In addition, corresponding electromagnets may be used inconnection with the articulated hooks or independently to secure the tugto a barge.

Brief description of the drawing FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of abarge having a central portion broken away and of a tug according to afirst embodiment of my invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side view of a barge and a tug according to a secondembodiment of my invention;

FIGURE 3 is a side view of a barge having its front portion broken awayand of a tug according to a third embodiment of myinvention;

3,398,716 Patented Aug. 27, 1963 FIGURE 4 is a longitudinal verticalsection through a broken away bow fragment of a tug hull and acorresponding stern fragment of a barge;

FIGURES 5 and 6 are longitudinal vertical sections through thearticulated hook used to connect each tug hull with a barge, the hookbeing shown in the open and the closed position;

FIGURE 7 is a side view of a tug hull with its rear portion and with theplatform broken away and with the center portion shown in longitudinalvertical section;

FIGURE 8 is a front view of a tug according to my invention with itsdeck house and stacks broken away;

FIGURE 9 is a horizontal section taken on line 9-9 of FIGURE 8; and

FIGURE 10 is a horizontal section taken through the broken away stern ofa barge.

Description of the preferred embodiments Referring to the drawing indetail, FIGURE 1 shows a barge 10 which may be of any type, dry cargo,bulk cargo, or tanker. To aid in its maneuverability, it may have a bowthrust unit 11 mounted thereon. Connected to the rear of barge 10 arethe twin hulls 12 having the upstanding conning towers 13 mounted onthem. Towers 13 and columns 14 support'platform 15 which extends aboveand bridges between the hulls 12. Longitudinal and lateral bracings 16and 17 may be provided if required.

Combined air intake and stacks 18 extend upward from platform 15 overthe towers 13. A deck house 19 and a pilot house 20 are built onplatform 15 as if it were a conventional deck. The deck house 19provides complete crews quarters, galley, etc. A rudder 21 and apropeller 22 are disposed at the stern of each hull 12. A large accesshatch 23 should be provided on the deck of each hull 12 for enginemaintenance and major repairs.

FIGURES 7, 8, and 9 show the construction of the hulls 12 of the tug ingreater detail. As may be seen in FIG- URE 7, a large power plant, suchas a diesel engine 24, drives a propeller shaft 25 through atransmission or reduction gear 26. An air intake tube 27 extends downtower 13 and an exhaust line 28 extends up it. A ladder 29 is providedfor access to engine 24 at all times. It is assumed that constantattendance of the engines 24 will not be required as all controls willbe automatic. Hull 12 also contains a number of compartments 30-34 whichmay be disposed as shown or where desired. Some of the compartments30-34 are used for fuel and the remainder are used for water ballast tosubmerge the hulls 12 to a desired depth.

If desired, some of the compartments 30-34 may be gravity ballast tanksfed by the free inflow of water when a valve (not shown) is opened. Thiswill allow a tug to be conneected to a barge in an unloaded condition.As the barge is loaded, it will submerge the tug and water may beallowed to run into the ballast tanks according to the load in thebarge. If the ballast tanks are properly located, the water ballast maybe allowed to flow out as a barge is discharged. Conventional pumps (notshown) may also be provided to feed and discharge the tanks 30- 34 totrim the tug as desired or required.

As may be seen in FIGURE 9, bits 35 may be provided on deck 36 of eachhull 12. FIGURE 8 is a front view of the tug. FIGURES 7-9 also show thetapered projections 37 which extend from the bows of the hulls 12. Anarticulated hook 3 8 extends forward from each projection 37. Theprojections 37 may be truncated pyra-mids as shown, they may be taperedovals, they may be truncated cones, or they may 'be any other desiredtapering shape. The articulated hooks 38 may be square or round insection as desired.

Referring now to FIGURE 4, the bow and the projection 37 of each hull 12is covered with a layer of rubber 39. The stem of a barge 10, as is alsoshown in FIGURE 10, has two tapered recesses 40 formed in it to receivethe projections 37. Each projection 37 has a hydraulic cylinder 41mounted in it by means of the bracings 42. Cylinder 41 may extend andretract rod 43 which has an articulated hook 44 at its end.

As may be seen in FIGURES and 6, rod 43 may be hollow and have a shaft45 slidably disposed within it. Hook 44 is pivotally secured to rod 43by a pin 46 and a link 47 connects rod 45 to hook 44- as shown. Thusretraction of rod 45 from the position shown in FIG- URE 5 to that shownin FIGURE 6 activates the articulated hook 44 to assume a graspingposition.

Referring again to FIGURE 4, rod 43 extends through a packing 48 into awatertight compartment 49 disposed at the end of each recess 40.Extending across each compartment 49 and across the width of the barge10, as shown in FIGURE 10, is a transverse member 50 engaged by hook 44.Electromagnets 51 and 52 may be provided to assist hooks 44 in securinga tug to a barge or they may be used in place of the hooks 44 for thispurpose. The adjacent poles of magnets 51 and 52 should be oppositelypolarized to attract each other. The rubber layer 39 may be reduced inthickness between magnets 51 and 52 to reduce the effective air gaptherebetween.

It is to be noted that during propulsion by the tug the projections 37will be forced into their corresponding recesses 40 so that, whenunderway, connecting means will not be strained and may not even beneeded. Also, since the tug hulls 12 will be awash when a barge isunloaded and submerged when a barge 10 is loaded, wave action on the tugwill be minimized and the tug will easily follow any motions of a barge11) with little resistance and resulting strain on their connections.While the hulls 12 have been shown to be rectangular in section, theymay be constructed in any hydrodynamically desired shape.

FIGURE 2 shows a second embodiment of this invention in which a 'barge70 has a complete deck house 71 and a pilot house 72 built on it. A boom73 secures control lines to the secondary pilot house 74 mounted onplatform 75 of tug 76 which has two conning towers 77 on the hulls 78.Stacks 79 extend upward from platform 75. Thus tug 76 has minimalstructures extending upward from and supported by its hulls 7'8. Tug 76may be operated independently from a barge 70 if desired. All structuresnot vital to the operation of tug 76 are located on barge 70 such as thecrews quarters, the galley, etc. which are in deck house 71. Even mainfuel tanks (not shown) may be located on barge 70 with this fuel beingpumped through line 69 to tug 76.

FIGURE 3 shows a third embodiment of my invention in which the tug hashulls '80 supporting conning towers 81 with a platform 82 extendingtherebetween. Stacks and air intakes 83 extend upward from platform 82.A retracting mechanism 84 supports a pilot house 85 which may rest onplatform 82. Barge 86 has a deckhouse 87 built on its stem to containcrews quarters, a galley, etc. When the tug is connected to a barge 86,pilot house 85 may be moved by mechanism '84 to rest on either side ofdeck house 87 as desired.

I claim:

1. A tug and a barge for propulsion by said tug comprising, incombination,

(a) twin tug hulls each containing a power plant and having propulsionmeans driven thereby, said hulls floating substantially awash,

(b) a conning tower extending upward from each of said hulls,

(c) a platform fixed to and extending between said conning towers abovesaid hulls,

(d) ballast tanks in said hulls for submerging said hulls,

(e) connecting means in the bow of each hull of said tug, and

(f) corresponding connecting means in the stern of said barge receivingsaid connecting means of said tug.

2. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said connecting means inthe bow of each hull of said tug is a tapered projection, wherein saidcorresponding connecting means in the stern of said barge is a pair oftapered recesses receiving said projections, and with the addition ofmeans locking said projections in said recesses.

3. The combination according to claim 2 wherein said means locking saidprojections in said recesses comprises a watertight compartment disposedin front of each recess in the stern of said barge, a transverse memberextending across said barge through said watertight compartments, and ahydraulically activated articulated hook extending from the front ofeach tapered projection of said tug entering a corresponding one of saidcompartments hooking said transverse member therein locking said tug tosaid barge.

4. The combination according to claim 3 wherein said means locking saidprojections in said recesses also com prises electromagnets on said tugand said barge energized with opposite polarity.

5. The combination according to claim 4 with the addition of exhauststacks and air intakes extending upward from said platform over saidconning towers, and exhaust and air intake pipes and tubes extendingfrom said power plants through said towers and said stacks and intakes.

6. The combination according to claim 5 with the addition of a pilothouse on said platform.

7. The combination according to claim 6 with the addition of a deckhouse on said platform, said pilot house being on said deck house.

8. The combination according to claim 7 with the addition of a columnextending upward from said hulls behind each of said conning towerssupporting said platform, and with the addition of lateral andlongitudinal bracing extending between said columns and said towersbelow said platform.

9. The combination according to claim 6 with the addition of a deckhouse on said barge and 'a second pilot house on said barge oper-ablyconnected to said tug.

10. The combination according to claim 6 with the addition of a deckhouse on the stern of said barge, and a retracting mechanism on saidplatform of said tug supporting said pilot house selectively on saidplatform and said deck house of said barge.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,345,970 10/ 1967 De Long114-235 3,362,372 1/1968 Peterson 114-235 MILTON BUCI-ILER, PrimaryExaminer. T. M. BLIX, Assistant Examiner.

